Connect
To Top

5. Ron Howard Joined the Cast to Avoid Vietnam

Ron Howard had just enrolled at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts to become a director, but he had a low draft number that could have become a problem. He needed to land a job at a large enough company that would miss his loss, and Paramount was just the place to do it. Ron Howard himself talked about this in an interview, saying this was on his mind as they were filming the quasi-pilot of Happy Days, which was originally an episode on Love, American Style.

Director/Actor Ron Howard
RoidRanger / shutterstock.com

More in TV